Stomach Exercises

There are certain ways to do a proper exercise. There are certain things which need to be avoided as well. Those include

* Hanging leg raises with an arched back
* Sit-ups with feet supported
* Straight legged sit-ups
* Any machine-based ab exercise
* Any machine-based twisting exercise
* Torso twists (they provide no resistance, nor burn many calories)

The above workouts will not create any resistance and it would be just a waste of time. The following exercises can be performed to work the stomach as you expect it to be.

* Hanging leg raises (with hunched back)
* Hanging knee raises (with hunched back)
* Lying leg thrusts (hip thrusts)
* Decline bench leg thrusts (hip thrusts)
* Reverse crunches (crunching hips off floor)
* Ab bicycles (alternating knees to elbows)
* Ab scissors
* Alternating Ab crunches

This is a very sporty workout and not that it just looks sporty to try, also its been a common workout for lot of athletes.
Start by lying on your back on the floor with your legs lifted and kept parallel to the floor. Place your hands with your fingers touching the sides of your head and slightly lift your head and shoulders off the ground. Perform the movement by crunching the left side of your upper body off the floor and bringing your left elbow and right knee together simultaneously. Then extend your right knee out and bring your right elbow and left knee together simultaneously. This mimics a bicycle movement in the lying position except that your legs move linearly instead of cyclically.

Ab scissors are truly a workout that stands up to its name. This workout involves simultaneous movement of the upper body and the lower body concentrating the power on the middle of your abs. It works mainly on the mid section and on the lower abs. There is no doubt on attaining a sure result on doing this workout and is one of the best stomach exercises you could find for strengthening your abs and get that shape which you desire to achieve.
Start by lying on your back on a floor with both your arms straight back over your head and your legs straight out at about a 45° angle from vertical. Bring your shoulders off the ground and arms forward while simultaneously bringing your legs and hips up off the ground such that your legs and arms slightly cross over.
Repeat the routine as much as possible and continue it with appropriate intervals to relax your ab muscles.

This workout is quite similar to the normal crunch but with a slight difference being it focusses on the oblique muscles. Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent 90° and your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands touching the sides of your head. Make sure you don't pull your head with your hands. Start crunching pulling your upper body to the front diagonally so that your left elbow touches your right knee. Repeat the process on the opposite side. When your elbow touches the knee hold there at that position for about 2 seconds and contract your abs.